Kampala

Stella marveled at the jewelry these survivors made out of recycled paper, and she was struck by their artistry and ingenuity. She returned home to the Netherlands to finish her studies, but the memory of the women stayed with her.

For a quick, cheap ride all you need to do is find a boda-boda. Boda-bodas, bicycle or motorcycle taxis, are easy to find or flag down in any East African city. But most people don't stop to think about the drivers and how they are not the owners of the boda-bodas they operate.

Imagine a Ugandan Parliamentarian, fresh from signing a petition to bring back the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), walking down the Castro marveling at all the rainbow flags, awestruck by the notion of a "gay" neighborhood. She has never seen gay people or lesbians show public affection before.

The movement for international LGBT rights is not going to be won overnight. And while meetings in Stockholm or Washington, D.C. are important, the real work is being done by the on-the-ground activists in countries like Uganda, India, Myanmar, Lebanon, and Russia, many of whom risk their lives on a day-to-day basis.

Last week's passage into law of the controversial anti-gay bill in Uganda puts the country among an elite club of nations noteworthy for their backpedaling on human and civil rights. As a host of a U.S. military presence, Washington has long viewed Kampala as a strategic ally in Central and East Africa.

The deadly turmoil that erupted in Juba last month threatens to ignite a full scale ethnic civil war across South Sudan. If peace talks between the government and the White Army rebels fail to stem the violence, a potential genocide may result.

The future of the CAR is naturally uncertain. For the country to become capable of controlling its destiny and asserting its sovereignty by preventing armed militias from entering its land, Séléka must avoid the mistakes of its predecessor.

Being here and meeting young people who hope for a better future through their job is not that hard, and not so emotionally engaging. They are not asking for anything and don't need overly sympathetic people: They need a job.

"I want people of the world to know that people like me come from Bwaise. I know you know about the floods, about the poverty, about the sex work. But I want you to know that there are also inspired, committed young people!"

Washington, which strongly condemned the Kampala bombings, should push for consistent accountability in East African countries so that the threat of terrorism is not manipulated to entrench authoritarian rule.